Silicon Pulp animation gallery is celebrating Katsuhiro Otomo's anime opus, AKIRA, with Akira! Akira! Akira!, an exhibition of rarely seen artwork, merchandise, manga and more. Produced in 1988 and based on his cyber-active manga classic of the same name, Otomo's groundbreaking film is the best known and arguably still the best anime to emerge from Japan. The two-hour epic took over one billion yen, 2,200 shots and 160,000 animation cels to make - more than twice the number used in most Hollywood feature-length animation at the time. Akira! Akira! Akira! features over 50 original cel artworks, plus posters, uncut card sets, lobby cards, comics & book editions, and a wide assortment of related merchandising, including such rarities as an original program & flyer from opening night in Japan '88, a set of German & Spanish lobby cards and a Thai theatre poster. The exhibition will also feature an Akira-inspired installation by Italian artist Ludovica Gioscia on the theme of telekinesis - the ability to move objects through force of will alone. By combining the film's soundtrack with digital footage projected on a plasma screen, the installation transforms simple movements into telekinetic exercises.

During the Annecy festival (June 4-9, 2001), ASIFA International will hold a silent auction of original animation art at the ASIFA booth. Featured animators include: Bill Plympton (MUTANT ALIENS, in competition this year), Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (WHEN THE DAY BREAKS, Annecy grand prix 1999), Georges Schwizgebel (past Annecy juror and exhibition artist), Don Hertzfeldt (REJECTED, 2001 Oscar nominee, in panorama this year) and other brilliant animators. All proceeds will go toward the ASIFA production fund to finance new animation collaborations by ASIFA members. Animators interested in making a donation of their artwork for future online and festival auctions may speak to someone in the booth or contact jacksonhall@asifa.net. The ASIFA Booth will be located at the entrance of the Eugene Verdun room and will be open from 9 am to 7 pm.

Guernsey

Upcoming high school graduates, artists, creative career seekers and anyone interested in a career in the creative arts is invited to attend an April 28 Open House at The Art Institutes International at San Francisco. The Open House will include presentations from faculty and staff about the school

Sakura Con 2001 is a Japanese anime and manga convention. Voice-over actress Lia Sargent will be the guest of honor. Lia has provided voices for shows such as TRIGUN, COWBOY BEBOP, EL-HAZARD and many others. The event will feature discussion panels with voice actor/industry guests, an art show, a Japanese cultural discussion, demonstration panels, video gaming and a dance.

Max the Mutt Animation School, also known as Studio M, is having its second Open House. Student work from both the Visual Arts Literacy and Classical Animation Programs will be on display, including life drawing, painting, background painting, cartooning, character design and more. Friday

An all-star lineup of musicians presents a cutting-edge celebration of Harry Smith's work, including his experimental films, the groundbreaking "Anthology of American Folk Music" and other recordings. Featuring Beck, Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, Percy Heath, Van Dyke Parks, Bob Neuwirth, Richard Thompson, David Thomas, Todd Rundgren, T. Bone Burnett, the Folksmen, Smokey Hormel, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Kate and Anna McGarrigle. Best known to cinephiles for his experimental films incorporating ingenious original techniques of collage animation and painting directly onto film, Smith also distinguished himself as a painter, well-known musicologist, anthropologist, linguist and magician. The event will be at UCLA's Royce Hall.

Want to learn more out the cutting-edge art of Harry Smith? Then read the following Animation World Magazine articles at:
American Magus - Harry Smith - A Modern Alchemist (English version)
American Magus - Harry Smith - Alchimista d'Avanguardia (Italian version)
Fragments of a Faith Forgotten: Unearthing the Harry Smith Archives
The Flesh Made Word: Harry Smith Speaks

Max the Mutt Animation School, also known as Studio M, will be having a special preview showing for the animation industry, April 25, 2001 from 3 to 7 pm. Works on display will include classical animation, storyboards, character design, as well as life drawing. Graduating students will be present and available for portfolio interviews. An invitation is available online at www.maxthemutt.com/industryday.html.

The Center for Digital Imaging and Sound (CDIS) is hosting DigiFest 2001, an annual digital arts symposium and exhibition designed to jumpstart students by introducing them to the professionals, educators, equipment and software driving the digital arts and animation industries. BC students and their teachers are invited to attend hands-on workshops and develop their skills and understanding of digital media. DigiFest is expanding to include motion-capture, digital audio and recording, video game programming and visual effects. The event takes place from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm in the new CDIS Entertainment Technology Center (ETC). Over 35 different workshops and panels are scheduled for the event, with topics ranging from Web, animation and multimedia careers to introductory workshops in software such as Softimage XSI, PhotoShop and 3D Studio Max.

DHIMA (DH Institute of Media Arts) is presenting an exhibition of paintings by pioneer digital artist Michael Wright. There is also a reception on Saturday, April 28. Wright is a painter who began to explore digital media in the mid-1980s on an Amiga computer. He exhibited his first digital print in 1989 and continues to work in both traditional and electronic mediums. He has exhibited his digital work and traditional works on a national level. Wright is represented by the Spectra Gallery for Digital Art in New York. He is currently an adjunct associate professor in the Digital Media Program and Liberal Studies Programs at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. He also instructs at other schools and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.